Chalk-line device



Dec. 22, 1925..

1,566,647 o. M. BRYAN CHALK LINE DEVICE Filed May 23. 1922.\

Patented Dec. 22, 19725.

UNITED STATES.

osoAn M. EEYALL'OE PERU, INDIANA.

onALK-LINE DEVICE.

Appneatifon filed May 23, 1922. serial No. 562,951. v

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it 'known that I, OSCAR M. BRYAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Peru, in the county of Miami and State of 6 Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements inChalk-Line Devices, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to devices for automatically applying chalk tolines used by artisans for` striking a straight line and known as chalklines. An object of my invention is to provide a combined reel and chalkdevice which Vwill be convenient to operate, which will be positive inits chalking operation, and which willoperate so as to cause all of thechalk to be used up and will avoid the formation vof grooves andresultant breakingof the chalk. Other Vgeneral ob, jects are simplicity,inexpensiveness and durability of construction, as well as facility inassembly and renewal of the chalk.

of chalk is mounted yfor rotation and has a f drive connection, such assuitable gearing or a lpulley and belt construction, with the line reel,and the parts are so related that the line contacts with the side faceof the chalkV as the line is being drawn out and the chalk A springholds the chalk yieldingly against the line and thus compensatesforvwear, andv preferably the side wall of the casing forms.

an abutment for the chalk and is so shaped as to provide a clearancebetween the wall and the face of the chalk fromv the periphery` welltoward its center, thus affording easy access for the line to thechalking surface and at the same time avoiding a squeezing modate theline in both its chalking and returning positions.

j My invention also includes other features .Q QSfllO and 913212115 andarrangements is being rotated, thereby causing the chalk' to be worn offevenly in an axial direction."

of parts as will hereinafter more fully appear. I shall now describe theillustrated embodiment of my invention and shall there after point outmy invention in claims.

Fig. l is a side elevation of a complete device embodying my invention.Y

Fig. 2 is 'a sectional plan4 of the same, on line 22 of Figure 1. j Y

F ig. 3 is an end elevation of the same.

The ,operating parts are contained within a flat casing '1, generally'ofoblong shape with one end rounded and provided with a cover 2. The reel3 for the line 4:. is mounted in the rounded end of the casing upon asquare shaft 5, ythe oneend of which is rounded and bears in the cover2,and the other end 'of which extends through the casing ,l andis securedlto the hub of a handle 6 which bears in the -side of the casing l, Thehandle 6 is shown'asjointed 70 so as to enable it to befolded up, theknob v entering the ,hollowv shaft 5 as indicated in Inaccordance withmy invention the body.

dotted lines in Figure 2. On the cover end ofthe shaft 5 is fixed a gearwheel 7, a snitable spacing washer 8 being interposed be- 75 tween thegear 7 and the side of the reel. A friction member, such as a spring 9,may be carried by the cover in position to bear yagainst the side of thereel and steady it and prevent it from turning accidentally. 80

The chalking' element is rotatively mount- -ed on yanother transverseshaft or post 10 near the opposite end of the casing. Surrounding theVpost l0 is'f a sleeve. 11, the outer surface .of which is squared, andthe body y ofchalk l2, preferably of disc shape, has a square axial holeand isv disposed-upon the sleeve-l1. The bodyl of chalk 12 is preferablycontained in a cup-shaped metallic holder 13 which is' disposed on thecover 90 side of the chalk and fits'a little way over the edge'leavingsubstantially all of the rest ofthe Vchalk exposed. The chalk and itscontainer are freely slidable longitudinally upon the sleeve l1 and abow-shaped spring 95 .14 having its ends inrholesi inthe cover,

bears against the metallic covered face of the' chalking element andholds the chalk against the opposite side of the casing. A portipzn ofthe side wall of the casing Il. im-

meiiately surrounding the bearingfor the Apost l is concaved, as shown,or otherwise shaped so as to provide an abutment for the chalk near itsaxis While leaving substan- 5 tially all of its side face clear from theo asing, thus affording ample room for the line engage :theside "face ofthe' chalk.

A bearing l5 surrounds and ts over the sleeve 1l and bears int'heveover- 2. kfigear 'Wheel 16 is non-rotatably secured upon thisbearing l5 and is joined to ther! ea'r'fvh'ee'l 7 throughy anintermediate gear l Whichis the end of the spring member 14 straddlesffthe lfge ar 'vvhfeel l 6'.

' The' fend' of the'leas'ingf adjacent the chalk- K 18. @Forycon'venieiieY -inV Y manufacture,"this vis"-'s`ho`Wn aseiitendingthe-,Whole vheight of the casing, 'but for purposes lof its function,

vfitfnee'd extend# no 'farther than `4rto accommodate the li-ne inltheftvv'o positionsshovvn Y Ucha'llledrandll""is flits I`position`When'- it lisv bemaybe fthe A'vliole Width'fof the casing, it

need bei providedv only i adjacent to f the "side *Ol'iof-Athe casing"WhiehVVV serves asV an abutment *vided onft-he'end' o'ffthe line toprevent its {dravvn ei'itireljv Within t'he easing,` andvithefJbottomlofthedcasing andthe-lower corg-nerof thesiide Wall may4'Ibecut afWay,jas ylgs'hownf' atf20,"t-oprovfide a-rseat-or this knob.

` `in :dotted lines, =tting Within the@ cover to fadd'rigidity totheStructure.

r-fltj'is n 'oifapparentfthat 'in'orderto elialk the line,' the*operatorgrasps the"knob and "pulls it' outfin itheffposition shon'fn'at la incontaet with 'the vexiposed side Vface 'of the ehalkf-theeoncaved;portionof the si'delrvvall "foiithenasing' surrounding theloeafringfacilin l'tating the admission ofthe? line to the vface mits-fr'otationrto the yehalking element and 550 lthe "side face-of` the"cha-lisis `thus rotated foverf-thejline an'dwernavvay evenly. 'After 5the- =linel has been used, the operator turns rzithe vr-han'dle'fd'toreel in"the ling-during which operation, it lfalls to the position @5*"my "invention, Y v

of theachalk. As 'the'V reel"'tiirnsit"trans-y ing`te`lenientanY uprightslot' adjacent one H'side providing a passage for the chalk line, flaidrive @connection between the reel and chalking element, and a springbearing betiveenfthe other side oi' the casing and the chalking elementand operative to press the chalking e'l'e'inentjfieldingly against thefirst mentioned'side of the casing.

2. A chalk line'jdevce"comprising'a -easing, 'line reely and:V4 aoh'a'llino "element ro- 4tati-'velyn'iounted V`,ontvvoparalfeltran'sverse `'bearings in' theA casing', and"thelialkingelenient being` slidab'le f-onV its' f'bearings; 'the feas#ll-iifigt having in `theend adjaeent" thefohalking element any uprights'lot-alongone side lproviding a passage for the chalk -line,"lthe"said*one side'y of the casing'beng fini'vvafrdlyi-concaved" opposite'`theaxes 'off the lc halkii'ifjr ele- Imentlso that' the ,saidaXisJfcoincides With a fradius" yof "the coneaved portion, a springbearing between the foth'er'* side' of the l casing f arr'd thechallriug` I`,element and 'operati-ve to f press the-challin'g-elementjyieldingly*With 95 its face lagainstfthe"saidconcave'd'portion "llthe' casing', Tand a.fdriveconneetion between 'there'elandr'chalking: element.

3. A 'chalk line Adevice Comprising a oas- Vingj'openatf one end,"-afreely for Ythe line 190 "mounted -in said""ca`sing and vi'nelu'ding atransverse :shaft having its bearings' inthe f-s'ide of tliecasinga gearWlieeliXeclly posi -tioned`r 'on' 'the reel-shalt,-I a second*transverse ysh-ditbea-'ring in the'sidesofthe easing be- X05 tween the'reel:-fairdopenfend of the i-'Ca`sing, ya squared sleevesurrounding theIsecond @transverse shaft,-a gearfw'vheellixedly positioned 'on thesleeve, clia-flkfin'g element '-it'ting upjonfthe' sleeve' and slidablelengt 110 Lti'i'dinallyv thereof, a springfinember bearing If'a einst'ythelface of the fehalking element adjacent'the"gearfav-heel and pressingitV yieldingly with 1 its n other face' 'against i -thel op- 'l-posite#side of "thef' Casing,v an'd'an interi i115 *mediate gear v pivotedfto" the Casing and "meshing With-the two said *gear-1 Wheels.

491A olialkilitne Vdevice comprising ya cas- `v ing fopenatonefend, areel for the-line *mounted in said-cajsing'jand `linclfuding a`120transverse 'shaft having its" 4vbearings in 'opposite' sides ofthe'easing', agear-"wheel iiXedllypositioned on the "reelfshaft, a secondtransverse* shaftfbearinginthe sides of' 'the Casingbetweenftlie'lelfandi open' e'nd 'of-"the"n 125 easing,'afsq'uaredjsleeve `surroun'ding the second transverse shafua',Qearfvvheel lixe'dly positioned on `the sleeve-*infalignmentWfith the"Flirstnamed' gear Vvvhee'l, a 'chalkin'g ele- Y einem @fittingapen-fthe `y`vsleeve and slidable" 130 Y iongitudinally. thereof, theside Wall of the against the said concaved portion of the opoasingopposite the gear Wheel being inposite side Wall, and an intermediategear Wardly eonoaved for a portion immediately pivoted to the casing,rand meshing With the 10 surrounding the shaft for the chalking ele twosaid gear Wheels. ment7 a spring member bearing against the In Witnesswhereof, I hereunto subscribe face of the ohalking element adjacent themy signature. gear Wheel and pressing it yielding-ly OSCAR M. BRYAN.

